Lock bottom and top collapsible box.



No. 636,806. Patented Nov. l4, I899. G. L. JOHNSTONE.

LOCK BOTTOM AND TOP GOLLAPSIBLE BOX. (Application filed Mar. 2, 1899.) (No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

GILBERT L. JOHNSTONE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LOCK BOTTOM AND TOP COLLAPSIBLE BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,806, dated November 14, 1899.

Application filed March 2, 1899. Serial No. 707.432. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GILBERT L. J OHNSTONE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lock Bottom and, Top Collapsible Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to receptacles or boxes constructed to be put together or assembled when used, and particularly to such boxes havinga locking bottom and top; and one of the objects of the invention is to produce a structure of this general character which will be simple and cheap in construction and at the same time easily assembled and closed.

Another object is to provide a collapsible receptacle preferably open only at the top and bottom and one provided with means for closing and locking the top and bottom in such a manner that when closed and locked the same cannot be opened without severing one or more of the tucks or ears, thus showing that the box has been opened.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists, essentially, in the construction, combination, and arrangement of par-ts hereinafter more fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank from which my improved box is constructed. Fig. 2 is an end view showing the top of the box partially closed; and Fig. '3 is a similar View illustrating the bottom of the same in a closed position, part of the closing-flap being shown as broken away.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character 1 designates one of the main portions of the box or receptacle, termed herein the front of the box, here shown as approximately rectangular in shape, although the form is not essential and may be varied in practice, as will be readily understood.

The front portion 1 is preferably provided with a lateral longitudinal extension or attaching-flap 2, adapted to be gummed or otherwise secured to the side portion 3, as hereinafter explained.

Formed on or connected with the front portion 1 is a side portion 4, upon which is formed or with which is connected a back portion 5, preferablysimilarin general form to the front portion 1, and, if desired, these portions may be constructed from a single piece of sheet material, as shown.

The front portion 1 is preferably provided at one end thereof with a top flap or projec tion 6, having an extension 7, desirably of the same width, and preferably along the line of junction between said parts is formed a slot or opening 8, adapted to receive the tuck or ear 9, formed on or connected with the back portion 5 when the parts are assembled, and securely. lock the box.

The back portion 5 is preferably provided with a bottom flap or projection 10, having an extension 11, provided with slots or openings 12, constructed to receive the tucks or ears l3 and 14 upon the front portion 1 when the parts are closed.

The tucks or ears 13 and 14 upon the front portion 1 and the tuck or ear 9 upon the back portion 5 are preferably extended laterally beyond the shank thereof, and the lateral extensions are adapted to be folded upon the shank when being passed through the slots or openings 12 and Sin the process of closing and securing the several parts of the box, and after the tucks or cars have been passed through said slots or openings the lateral extensions thereof are released and permitted to resume their normal expanded position, thus locking the parts and preventing the withdrawal of the tucks or ears through the slots or openings accidentally; but when it is desired to open the box it is only necessary to tear olf or disconnect or sever the tucks or ears upon the shank thereof, and the same can be readily withdrawn through the slots or openings and the closing-flap be released.

The side portion 4 is preferably provided with an end extension 15, having a lockingjaw 16, desirably of the construction shown,

and the opposite end of said side portion is provided with an extension 17, of difierentformation from that of the projection 15, although the construction of these projections may be varied in practice, if found desirable, and the projection 17 preferably carries a locking-jaw 18, as shown. The other side portion 3 may be provided along the free edge thereof with a gummed surface or portion 23, adapted to receive the extension 2 of the front portion 1 when the parts are assembled, as will be readily understood, and the side portion 3 is preferably provided with end projections 19 and 21, having, respectively, locking-jaws 20 and 22, the formation of said projections being preferably that illustrated.

My invention maybe embodied in a blank other than of the form illustrated herein, and different receptacles or articles may be constructed from blanks embodying my inven tion; but I have illustrated an oblong box as an exemplification of my invention. However, I do not confine myself thereto.

The construction or formation of the box out of the blank herein shown is as follows: The parts 1, 4C, 5, and 3 are bent at right angles to each other along the dotted lines indicating the junction thereof, and the extension 2 is secured to the side portion 3 along the gummed edge 23 thereof. Then the projections 17 and 21 are folded inwardly and the locking-jaws 1S and 22 thereof are interlocked, as shown in Fig. 3, wherein both jaws are inside the box, or said jaws may be locked upon the out-side in the manner illustrated in connection with the projections 15 and 19 in Fig. 2. Then the bottom flap 10 is folded upon the projections 17 and 21, and the extension 11 is passed under the top portion 1 and between said portions and the edges of the projections 17 and 21, as partially shown in Fig. 3, and the tucks or cars 13 and 14 are passed through the slots 12 in the bottom flap 10 and allowed to expand, as before described, thus locking said bottom flap in position. After the articles to be contained in said box have been introduced the projections 15 and 19 are folded inwardlyand locked in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2, and the closing-flap 6 is folded upon the same and the extension 7 passed into the box, between the bottom 5 thereof and said projections 15 and 1.), and the tuck or car 9 is passed through the slot 8 in the closingflap G, and the latter is thereby locked in position by reason of the expansion laterally of the extension of said tuck or car, as before explained.

\Vhen it is desired to open the box, it will be necessary to tear off, sever, or disconnect the tuck or ear 9 from the back portion 5, whereupon the same may be withdrawn through the slot 8, thus releasing the closing-flap 6, which may then be withdrawn and the box opened,

but leaving unmistakable evidence of the opening.

I do not desire to confine myself to the construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described, and I reserve the right to make all such changes in and modifications of the same as come within the spirit and scope of my invention.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A collapsible receptacle provided with side portions each having projections, carrying locking-jaws, constructed to engage each other and with closing-flaps, and expansible tucks or cars adapted to be introduced through said closing-flaps, and expand and lock the same.

2. Acollapsibleboxhavingafrontand back portion each provided with a closing-flap, carrying a slotted extension, side portions each having locking projections and tucks or cars upon the front and back portion adapted to engage said closing-flap and lock the same.

3. A look bottom and top collapsible box the sides and back portions whereof are each provided with looking projections and closing-flaps respectively, the front portion of said box being also provided with two expansible ears or tucks and the back portion thereof with one tuck or ear each adapted to engage one of said closing-flaps.

4. A collapsible receptacle having side portions each provided with engaging flaps and a front and back portion carrying upon one edge thereof a closing-flap, constructed when folded to completely cover the top and bottom of the receptacle, and expansible tucks or cars upon the other edge of each of said front and back portions to engage and retain said closing-flaps.

5. A collapsible receptacle provided with side portions each having interlocking flaps and a front and back portion provided on one edge thereof with aclosing-flap having an extension, and tucks or cars upon the other edge of each of said front and back portions to engage said closing-flaps.

6. A collapsible receptacle provided with end portions each having engaging fiaps,front and back portions each having upon one edge thereof aclosing-flap and upon the other edge tucks or cars, each having free portions constructed to expand after being passed through said closing-flaps to prevent the movement of the latter.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GILBERT L. JOHNSTONE.

Vitnesses:

JAMES R. ROGERS, CHARLES S. Rocnns. 

